will bring to your help a body of chosen knights that thou
knowest not yet. Ask me no further, for I will hence, and God guard you
meanwhile. I will return shortly, and bring with me a thousand knights,
than whom the world holdeth none better."

"Only tarry not too long," said the king, "for we are right glad of thy
help."

He answered, "I will come again in a few days. Tell the queen I left by
thy command."

Eighth Adventure

How Siegfried Journeyed to the Nibelungs

Siegfried hasted thence in his _Tarnkappe_ to the haven on the shore,
where he found a ship, the which he boarded secretly, and rowed it
swiftly, as it had been blown by the wind. None saw the boatman. He
made it fly with his great strength. Any that marked it deemed it driven
by a tempest, but it was by Siegfried, fair Sieglind's child.

A day and a night brought him to a great country that an hundred days'
journey could not compass; this hight the Nibelung land, where he had his
vast treasure.

The hero landed alone on a broad meadow, and moored the ship. Then he
went to a mountain, whereon a castle stood, and asked for lodging, as he
had been a way-weary man. He went up to the door, that stood locked
before him. For folk guarded their honour then, even as now. The
stranger began to knock at the bolted door, and encountered within a huge
giant that kept watch, and that had his weapons ever by him. And this
giant said, "Who knocketh so loud on that door?"

Siegfried answered with a feigned voice, "I am a knight. Open to me,
else I will rouse some within that had willingly lain soft abed."

The porter was wroth at Siegfried's word. He did on his armour, and put
his helmet on his head, and grasped his shield, and swung open the door.
Then he ran grimly at Siegfried, saying, "How durst thou waken so many
brave men?" And he smote him hard and swift. The noble stranger made
wary fence, but the porter lifted an iron bar and brake his shield-band.
Then the hero came in scathe, and began to fear grim death when the
porter smote so hard. Yet his master loved him the more for his daring.

They strove so fiercely that the castle rang, and the din thereof was
heard in the hall of the Nibelungs. But Siegfried overcame the porter at
last, and bound him. And the news spread through the Nibelung land.

Albric, a bold and savage dwarf, heard their strife from far off through
the mountain. He did on his armour straightway, and ran where